I’ve been to all 50 states. There’s still just one city I love visiting most.

• I’ve traveled to all 50 states and dozens of cities, but New Orleans is my favorite to visit.
• The Louisiana city has so much rich history, beautiful architecture, and incredible cuisine.
• It’s a great place to catch live music, enjoy a crawfish boil, and celebrate Mardi Gras.

I have visited all 50 states, but when I think about the city that I find the most dynamic, New Orleans rises to the top. It’s magical.

I’ve been to New Orleans a few times — to see friends, immerse myself in its culture, and attend a conference.

But ultimately, my love for the city rests on three pillars: its character, spirit, and cuisine.

The city is teeming with charm and character

New Orleans is a walkable, vibrant, and colorful city.

On my first visit, I walked from the Lower Garden District to the French Quarter (guided by a Tour by Foot audio tour), and I was struck by the artistry in the architecture.

Across neighborhoods, you’ll see pastel shotgun houses in working-class communities, mansions with sprawling porches, and stucco townhomes in the French Quarter — their iron balconies shaped by French and Spanish influence.

The many famous oak trees draped in Spanish moss will pull you back in time.

For history lovers, there’s a bevy of Black-owned tours that highlight the roots of jazz, the Civil Rights Movement, and the enduring spirit of Tremé — considered America’s oldest Black neighborhood.

After a tour, head to Kermit’s Tremé Mother-in-Law Lounge or Blue Nile for live music, StudioBE for vibrant art, or grab a cocktail at Jewel of the South — one of the world’s best bars. I like its sour peach Negroni.

There’s so much vibrant celebration, soul, and resilience to experience here

I don’t think I’ve ever been to a city with more spirit.

Mardi Gras brings music, parades, and festivities to the city every February. But even on a random Tuesday, you can stumble into a brass band, catch beads tossed from a balcony, or sip a cocktail in the French Quarter.

The spirit of Voodoo is alive too, in the Marie Laveau House of Voodoo, part shop and part museum dedicated to New Orleans’ famed Voodoo queen, where you can learn about her life and practices.

Cemeteries like Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, with their beautiful labyrinths of above-ground tombs, tell stories of centuries past.

When I stand in Congo Square, I imagine the enslaved Africans gathered centuries ago — dancing, socializing, and keeping culture alive through celebration and defiance. Local events hosted there now, like NOLA Reggae Fest, keep the spirit of music and dance alive.

Beyond its spirit, the city has a resilience that sticks with me long after I leave.

A few years back, I visited the Lower Ninth Ward, walked streets where homes were still empty, and stood by the levees rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina.

Nonprofit organizations like Sankofa Community Development Corporation and Lower 9 Resilient embody the neighborhood’s determination to rebuild and reimagine its future.

New Orleanians know what it means to return, to survive, to rebuild, and they do it with strength, music, and joy.

New Orleans is a city you must eat your way through

In New Orleans, you can eat down-home Louisiana or James Beard Award-winning international cuisine like Dakar NOLA, a Senegalese tasting-menu restaurant — either way, you won’t leave hungry.

On one trip, I went to a crawfish boil for the first time. Crawfish are a traditional local delicacy, often boiled with Cajun spices and served with potatoes, corn, sausage, and other vegetables in a large pot.

They’re served on tables covered with newspaper and served with various dipping sauces.

A friend taught me the ritual for eating crawfish: twist and break the tail from the head, peel the shell, and pry out the meat or savor the spicy juices straight from the head and claws.

You’ll get messy, but that’s part of the fun.

And then there’s the gumbo, a Louisiana staple. Dooky Chase’s serves classic Creole gumbo, rich with smoked sausage, chicken, shrimp, ham hocks, blue crab, and more. It’s history in a bowl.

And of course, you can’t miss the beignets at Café du Monde, served hot and piled with powdered sugar that ends up on your clothes, your table, and probably in your lap.

For me, this Louisiana city is a must-visit spot

After traveling to all 50 states and countless cities, I still can’t get the character, spirit, and flavors of New Orleans out of my mind.

The city feels like a gumbo — Creole at its core, seasoned with African, Caribbean, French, and Spanish influences, all blending together into something rich and distinct.

With its cafés, brass bands, and world-class cuisine, it’s the one city that keeps calling me back.

Read the original article on Business Insider

The post I’ve been to all 50 states. There’s still just one city I love visiting most. appeared first on Business Insider.